Blue Monday catch-up with Andy’s Man Club

This Blue Monday, we’re catching up with SBHA Plasterer Doug Cox, who is also Lead Facilitator at the Galashiels branch of Andy’s Man Club, a free peer-to-peer group providing a place for men to come together in a safe and open environment to talk about the issues they have faced or are currently facing.

Dougie says: “I have a friend who had recently lost his wife, and he was really struggling. I heard about Andy’s Man Club and managed to persuade him to come along, thinking it might help. I was so impressed with it that I decided to continue attending and after a few months, got more involved by volunteering to become a facilitator.

“It’s all about men coming together to discuss difficult situations that they’ve been in, using their experience to help each other.

“There’s still quite a bit of stigma around men opening up, and Andy’s Man Club challenges that. We start off with a few questions – what’s gone well for you that week, what’s not so good, to break the ice. But if you’d rather listen, that’s ok too.”

With the Galashiels branch now going strong, the team is keen to open up branches in other areas of the Borders.

Andy’s Man Club is open to any man over the age of 18, who is going through a difficult time, or who just want to meet a good group of people with the aim of supporting each other.

For more info, go to www.andysmanclub.co.uk, or find the club on social media – @andysmanclub.